Discomfort when swallowing saliva is most often the result of somatic and neurological diseases. If the patient is painful to swallow, but the throat does not hurt, this may indicate the development of septic or aseptic inflammation, the delayed treatment of which can lead to complications.
Irritation of the oropharyngeal mucosa is one of the main causes of an unpleasant symptom. Inflammatory processes in the airways are not always associated with the development of infection.
In some cases, discomfort is caused by endocrine and oncological pathologies, a problem with the digestive tract and blood vessels.
To determine the true cause of the problem, it is necessary to be examined by an otolaryngologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, oncologist and gastroenterologist.
Etiopathogenesis
Why are there painful sensations when swallowing saliva? Pain is an uncomfortable sensory experience that occurs as a result of stimulation of specific receptors - nociceptors. A symptom signals the presence of pathological changes in tissues, which may be associated with the development of pathogens, trauma, hormonal imbalance, gastrointestinal dysfunction, etc.
Coma syndrome in the pharynx is a symptom of more than 25 diseases of various etiologies. The main ones include:
- pharyngitis;
- laryngitis;
- epiglottitis;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- malignant neoplasms;
- allergies;
- dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
- paratonsillar abscess;
- neurological pathology;
- sexually transmitted diseases.
If the pain during swallowing does not go away within a week, you need to seek help from an otolaryngologist.
The coma syndrome in the pharynx can be a consequence of mental disorders that destructively affect the work of the autonomic nervous system. Most often, the problem occurs in patients suffering from neuroses and depression.
Infectious diseases
According to the WHO, pain in the pharynx when swallowing saliva occurs due to a sluggish septic inflammation of the mucous membranes. If it is painful to swallow, but there is no pain in the throat itself, it is advisable to undergo differential diagnosis from an otolaryngologist. Unpleasant sensations may indicate the development of the following ENT pathologies:
- epiglottitis - inflammatory processes in the epiglottis resulting from septic lesions of the tissues of the oropharynx; the disease is characterized by a slight increase in temperature, difficulty swallowing and impaired phonation;
- chronic tonsillitis - a sluggish bacterial inflammation of the tonsils, accompanied by edema of the ciliated epithelium in the larynx and pharynx;
- chronic pharyngitis - septic inflammation of the lymphoid apparatus of the pharynx, which most often occurs as a result of inhalation of polluted air, tobacco smoke, etc .;
- phlegmous tonsillitis - an infectious lesion of the periaminal tissue, accompanied by inflammation of the tonsils and the pharyngeal tonsil;
- chronic laryngitis - catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx, which is preceded by acute or chronic pharyngitis.
Septic inflammation of the airways is fraught with tissue edema and difficulty in normal breathing.
Why does the pain occur on the right side? Uncomfortable sensations appearing on only one side of the pharynx signal the localization of pathogenic flora. Untimely destruction of pathogens can lead to the spread of infection and the emergence of severe complications. The development of ENT pathologies is facilitated by a decrease in the reactivity of the immune system, which is most often caused by hypovitaminosis, general infections (measles, scarlet fever, chickenpox), abuse of hormonal drugs and mechanical injury to the oropharyngeal mucosa.
Cardiovascular diseases
Discomfort, localized in the Adam's apple, in most cases indicates the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia. Polyethiological syndrome is a consequence of disturbances in the work of the heart and the cardiovascular system as a whole. The pathology is accompanied by hyperventilation syndrome, in which normal breathing is impaired in patients. Drying of the mucous membranes of the airways provokes irritation and, accordingly, painful sensations when swallowing saliva.
The reasons for the development of vegetative-vascular dystonia are:
- diseases of the limbic system;
- dysfunction of the peripheral nervous system;
- regular stress and psycho-emotional overstrain;
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- disturbances in the hypothalamus.
Typical manifestations of the pathology are tachycardia, heart pain, bradycardia, and variability in blood pressure.
Endocrine diseases
Painful sensations on the right or left when swallowing saliva may be due to thyroid dysfunction. It is located in front of the trachea above the larynx, so its inflammation or induration often causes discomfort and even pain. Disorders in the endocrine gland lead to the development of diseases such as:
- hyperthyroidism - hypersecretion of thyroxine and triiodothyronine, resulting from a malfunction of the thyroid gland;
- hypothyroidism - hormone deficiency associated with hypoplasia of thyroid tissue;
- endemic goiter - an increase in the size of the endocrine gland, which occurs when there is a lack of iodine in the body;
- thyroiditis is an autoimmune inflammation of the thyroid gland, accompanied by a feeling of squeezing of the pharynx.
Untimely elimination of endocrine disorders leads to a narrowing of the airways, as a result of which it is difficult for the patient to breathe. In some cases, thyroid dysfunction occurs as a result of the development of infectious diseases, in particular influenza, tonsillitis, measles, etc.
Pharyngeal neurosis
Pharyngeal neurosis is a pathology associated with a malfunction of the nervous system or disruptions in the innervation of tissues. The disease is accompanied by a violation of the pharyngeal reflex and pain when swallowing saliva. The occurrence of a problem is most often facilitated by:
- psycho-emotional overstrain;
- chronic diseases of the pharynx;
- neurasthenia;
- hysteria.
Mental disorders can lead to the development of agitated depression, hypochondria, and depersonalization.
The disorder is accompanied by the manifestation of somatic, mental and autonomic symptoms. The provocateurs of pharyngeal neurosis are fear, panic attacks, tachycardia, respiratory disorders, psychogenic shortness of breath, etc. Painful sensations when swallowing often become chronic, as a result of which patients develop carophobia.
Disorders in the digestive tract
Painful sensations in the throat may be the result of disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract. Aspiration of gastric juice provokes irritation of the pharyngeal mucosa, which leads to inflammation. One of the key causes of an unpleasant symptom is gastroesophageal reflux - the reflux of gastric masses into the esophagus and pharynx.
The disease occurs due to disruption of the lower esophageal sphincter. Frequent episodes of gastroesophageal reflux lead to a change in the pH level in the mucous membrane of the ENT organs. For this reason, there is a decrease in local immunity, which increases the risk of developing septic inflammation.
Acid and alkaline refluxes have a destructive effect on the state of the ciliated epithelium, which inevitably leads to the appearance of erosive formations.Swelling and inflammation of the tissues provoke pain during the contraction of the muscles of the pharynx when swallowing saliva.
Other reasons
What to do if unpleasant sensations occur when swallowing saliva? First of all, you need to be examined by a competent specialist. It should be understood that making a diagnosis based on local manifestations of pathology is almost impossible, especially in the case of aseptic tissue inflammation.
Discomfort in the throat can be associated with allergies, acclimatization, air pollution, the development of oncological pathologies, mechanical and thermal injuries of the mucous membranes, etc. You can not postpone a visit to a specialist in the event of such concomitant symptoms:
- stomach ache;
- labored breathing;
- hyperthermia;
- fever;
- tachycardia;
- cardiopalmus;
- hemoptysis;
- an increase in goiter;
- hoarseness of voice;
- lymph node hypertrophy.
In case of severe swelling of the mucous membrane of the throat, you need to call the ambulance team. Critical narrowing of the airways can lead to suffocation.
Treatment of infectious diseases
In most cases, swallowing discomfort is caused by infectious diseases. Conservative treatment of ENT pathologies involves the use of drugs with symptomatic and etiotropic action. A specialist should determine the therapy regimen after an accurate diagnosis.
If there is pain in the throat when swallowing saliva, what should I do? You can stop an unpleasant symptom with the following medications:
- antibiotics ("Amoxiclav", "Bitsilin-5") - destroy pathogenic bacteria that cause purulent inflammation of the ENT organs;
- antiviral agents ("Remantadin", "Arbidol") - inhibit the multiplication of viral pathogens that cause the development of colds;
- antihistamines ("Erius", "Loratadin") - eliminate inflammation and swelling in the ciliated epithelium, which helps to eliminate discomfort;
- rinsing solutions ("Iodinol", "Furacilin") - destroy the pathogenic flora, which accelerates the regression of catarrhal and purulent processes in the oropharynx;
- preparations for inhalation ("Derinat", "Dioxidin") - increase local immunity and eliminate the bacterial flora in the foci of inflammation;
- resorption tablets ("Septolete", "Strepsils") - relieve pain and accelerate tissue epithelization;
- sprays and aerosols for throat irrigation ("Yoks-Teva", "Ingalipt") - deodorize and disinfect the mucous membrane of the oropharynx, which contributes to the elimination of pathogenic flora;
- immunostimulants ("Laferon", "Valavir") - promote the production of immunocompetent cells, as a result of which local and general immunity increases;
- anti-inflammatory drugs ("Ibuprofen", "Nurofen") - inhibit the synthesis of inflammatory mediators, which accelerates the elimination of lesions in the ciliated epithelium.
For the treatment of psychogenic disorders, antidepressants (Lerivon, Fevorin), antipsychotics (Klopeksol, Imap), nootropics (Nootropil, Pyritinol) and drugs with a sedative effect (Valdispert, Deprim "). They have a beneficial effect on the work of the nervous system, which helps to increase stress resistance and, accordingly, eliminate spasms in the muscles of the pharynx.
